New hope sprouts for Siquijor folks as the provincial government ventures on a project that gives way to income generation and job creation in the province.
Approved by the Department of Energy (DOE), a P2.5 million-Integrated Virgin Coconut Oil Processing Center will soon rise in Lilo-an, Maria, Siquijor that aims to generate employment and increase farmers' profitability, says Medel V. Panzo, Officer-in-charge of the Philippine Coconut Authority here.
The project is funded out of the Development and Livelihood Fund (DLF), provincial and the regional share accrued from the commercial operations of Palinpinon Geothermal Power Plant 1 & 2 and Cebu Thermal Power Plant 2. DLF Siquijor share is P708,702.70 while Interprovincial/Regional share is P1,791,297.30, according to the report.
Panzo said, the project is seen to boost farmers' income through maximum utilization of coconut products and its by-products and eventually generates job in the province.
This stems from the fact that coconut is one of the prime commodities that the province produced. Records from PCA revealed that the area planted to coconut in the province is 6,808 hectares or 680,800 trees; 510,000 of which are bearing trees with a production of 18.4 nut per tree per year or 9,395,400 nuts. Production of this crop has become an important source of income to farmers.
The project is in line with the priority thrust of the provincial government to create employment and uplift the lives of the ordinary folks. Earlier, President Arroyo called the people to sustain the momentum of enterprise and productivity towards poverty alleviation, peace building, and law and order.
"The project is going in the right direction because of its potential to contribute in the government's effort to harness coconut as also a source of alternative fuel, " Panzo also said.
He said producing crude coconut oil, that is the raw material used in producing coco bio-diesel is also possible. "It is one of the alternative fuels being tapped by the government to lessen the country's dependence on imported fossil fuel," he said.
The DOE also said that the use of coco bio-diesel will be a sustainable and strategic approach in cleaning the air and energizing the economy.
Meanwhile, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Romulo L. Neri said growth in any sector is welcome, as it fuels growth in others as well. "For example, building public highways leads to private real estate investment, which in turn feeds construction, the cement industry, iron and steel, utilities. Jobs created in one sector are multiplied into others,' explained Neri, who is also director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
Neri added government must sustain the momentum of fiscal reform. He noted, "Now that we are well on our way to resolving our fiscal deficit, of putting our fiscal house in order, the next step would be now to bring in more investments, among which are core projects in infrastructure."
Neri said government needs funds to build highways, farm-to-market roads, water supply networks, irrigation facilities, classrooms, and health centers. "It is vital to ensure the resources for such infrastructure as they directly lift families out of poverty," he asserted. The socioeconomic planning secretary also noted that growth must promote employment.
Neri said the government should continue its interventions in agriculture and pursue adequate infrastructure spending to boost economic growth and employment. Other policy agenda that should be pushed, he said, include support to micro entrepreneurship and an improved industry regulatory framework. (PIA)
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